Provost says CMU has 'ample resources' to fund CMED, during A-Senate

Provost Gary Shapiro told the Academic Senate Tuesday Central Michigan University has "ample resources to fund the College of Medicine."

“CMED began funding in the 2008 school year,” Shapiro said. “Since then, we’ve funded approximately $5 million each year. We won’t be using any undergraduate tuition to pay for anything. The university has ample resources to fund the College of Medicine.”

A new online program and Central Michigan University’s College of Medicine were among topics discussed at the Academic Senate meeting on Tuesday.

Ernest Yoder, CMED Dean, presented A-senate with a Powerpoint about CMU’s educational resources for the new college. Also, a nutrition and dietetics online graduate certificate was approved as part of the curriculum.

Yoder said educational resources include support from the university, general facilities, clinical resources and clinical teaching.

“As far as support from the university, collaborations with all six other colleges varies from sharing a building to sharing faculty,” Yoder said.

Yoder said CMED has worked out agreements with medical facilities in Midland, Alpena, Gladwin and Saginaw to use facilities for clinical studies.

“Local volunteer physicians will take students for clinical practice,” said Yoder. “Clerkships and elective opportunities are being worked out as well.”

The budget was revealed and Yoder explained CMED’s projected earnings.

“We project in 2014 to 2015 that we will run a deficit of approximately $5 million. However, from 2016 to 2018, we project a growing net revenue that will allow us to mine resources back into the curriculum and net revenue,” Yoder said.

Senator David Smith, professor of philosophy and religion, asked how CMED would handle the budget if their projected earnings fell short.

“I just want to assure that if CMED has shortcomings, the money to make up for it will not come out of money that could be used elsewhere in the university,” he said.

Yoder said that will should not be a concern, as CMED has been “aggressive in estimating expenses and conservative in estimating revenue.”